UANL Tigres took a one-point lead at the top of the Mexican championship with a 4-1 win at Toluca on Sunday after holders Tijuana were beaten at home by nine-man America 24 hours earlier.

University side Tigres have 16 points from six matches in the Clausura standings, one point ahead of America and three in front of Tijuana and Atlas who beat Atlante 2-1 on Saturday.

Toluca, who visit Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires in their opening match of the South American Libertadores Cup group phase on Wednesday, are 15th with five points.

Tigres, who won the Apertura title in 2011, scored through Brazilian Juninho, Argentines Lucas Lobos and Emanuel Villa, the first division's top scorer with six goals, and Luis Garcia.

Edgar Duenas pulled a goal back for Toluca.

America, down to nine men from the 38th minute, went in front with a penalty from Paraguayan midfielder Osvaldo Martinez in the 12th minute at Tijuana's Caliente stadium.

The Eagles then had Argentine midfielder Rubens Sambueza sent off in the 21st minute for a second booking and Colombian defender Aquivaldo Mosquera was shown a red card in the 38th for a tackle from behind on goal-bound Fernando Arce.

"(The dismissals) happened to us because we were silly, we need to be more aware," America coach Miguel Herrera told reporters.

"The team showed the same determination we have all tournament, we played against a major team who are the champions and we were almost perfect."

America put up strong resistance in the second half and increased their lead from a 54th-minute counter attack when Paul Aguilar scored with a powerful long-range shot.